The present invention generally relates to facsimile machines, and more particularly to a facsimile machine which is connected to various kinds of communication equipments.
Facsimile machines are not only connected to a general telephone line. Recently, the facsimile machines are also connected to various communication equipments such as a mobile telephone set and a radio transmitter/receiver.
In such cases, the facsimile machine is connected to the communication equipment in the following manner.
According to a first method, connection terminals and interface circuits are provided on the facsimile machine exclusively for connecting the facsimile machine to communication equipments such as a radio transmitter/receiver, a microphone, a radio transmitter/receiver unit of a mobile telephone and a handset.
On the other hand, according to a second method, interface circuits exclusively for connecting the facsimile machine to the communication equipments are connected externally to line terminals and telephone terminals of the facsimile machine, and the facsimile machine is coupled to the communication equipments via the appropriate external interface circuits.
However, according to the first method, the facsimile machine is provided with functions which the user may not necessarily require, and there are problems in that the circuit structure becomes complex due to the numerous interface circuits and that the facsimile machine becomes expensive. In addition, when the facsimile machine is provided with a large number of connection terminals, the user must distinguish those connection terminals which are to be connected to a certain communication equipment from other connection terminals when making the connection, and there is a problem in that this connection operation is troublesome for the user to perform. Furthermore, when the facsimile machine is connected to a plurality of communication equipments, it is necessary to carry out a switching operation to select the communication equipment which is to be used, and there is a problem in that this switching operation is troublesome for the user to perform.
On the other hand, according to the second method, it is necessary to disconnect the telephone set from a telephone line which is used, for example, and reconnect the telephone set to the telephone line after connecting the external interface circuit which is used for connecting the facsimile machine to the telephone set. For this reason, there is a problem in that this connection operation is troublesome for the user to perform.
Therefore, when connecting the facsimile machine to the communication equipment, there conventionally are problems in that the connection operation to connect the facsimile machine to the communication equipment is troublesome for the user to perform, the operation of the facsimile machine is complex and the facsimile machine is expensive.